Gov. Nathan Deal and the Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office designated Decatur County and 72 other Georgia counties “Camera Ready.”

The state’s Camera Ready Community Program was launched as part of the state’s ongoing efforts to bolster Georgia’s growing film and television industry.

“We have experienced a significant increase in jobs, investment, infrastructure and film induced tourism, making Georgia’s entertainment industries among the state’s fastest growing sectors,” said GDEcD Commissioner Chris Cummiskey. “The statewide response has been tremendous from Georgia counties that want to become camera ready in order to help bring jobs and investments to their local communities.”

“Camera Ready” is a designation put in place by the state to offer film and television production companies easier, faster and better access to local resources and information.

A “Camera Ready Community” must designate a liaison who can assist film and television production companies on a local level. The first 16 Georgia counties were designated “Camera Ready” at EUE/Screen Gems Studio in Atlanta on Oct. 7, 2010.

Along with Decatur County, the other 72 Georgia counties that received the “Camera Ready Community” designation were Appling, Baldwin, Banks, Barrow, Berrien, Bulloch, Butts, Calhoun, Camden, Candler, Chattahoochee, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coffee, Columbia, Crisp, Dawson, Dooly, Douglas Elbert, Fannin, Fayette, Franklin, Glynn, Gordon, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hancock, Haralson, Harris, Hart, Henry, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Jenkins, Laurens, Lincoln, Lumpkin, Macon, Marion, McDuffie, Meriwether, Miller, Mitchell, Montgomery, Muscogee, Oconee, Paulding, Pickens, Pike, Pulaski, Rabun, Richmond, Rockdale, Schley, Screven, Stephens, Sumter, Taliaferro, Tattnall, Taylor, Terrell, Toombs, Towns, Upson, Walton, Warren, Washington, Webster, White and Whitfield.

The 2008 Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act helped the state’s entertainment industry achieve record numbers. The economic impact of production activity increased 440 percent between fiscal years 2007 and 2010, surging to $1.4 billion.

Georgia is now among the top five states in the nation for film and TV production with more than 335 productions shot in Georgia in fiscal year 2010 bringing in more than $759.3 million in investment to Georgia.

The Georgia Production Partnership (GPP), a not-for-profit coalition of companies and individuals active in the state’s film, video, music and interactive game industries, founded the original “Camera Ready” program formerly known as Fast Forward.

Established in 1998, this professional group has been instrumental in the grass roots organization of the production community and the development of key legislative incentives.